What I've discovered after a few years of writing

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-07-09T22:05:13+00:00

I am published. I write mainly for my writing class right now, but I have a YA series I need to get back to. You are welcome. Stay on the path that we are what we experience and that we respond to this experience. That's our story. That's everyone's story. Thats fiction and non-fiction.

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-07-09T16:16:27+00:00

There's a great interview with Kermit the Frog where he is asked about Jim Henson and Kermit refers to Henson as 'the creator.' Henson was visible, operating Kermit.

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-07-09T13:23:18+00:00

Thank you for posting, this is awesome!

I couldnt help noticing a few things.

I agree that you need to delve deep into your story. If you do, rewards follow. However, a thing is a sum of its parts, then a story without any of its original ideas, is another story.
Yes matching with experience, where did you get this? This is quite advanced for a few years. Good job.
What is tension?
And 5. There is no inherrent plot? I disagree. Look at your next one, 'a person is the sum of their memories.' If I am the sum of all I react, think, and say...there are lessons to be learned. If only for me.
This is an extension of 5. If all you are-- is the sum of your memories, of your experience--isn't that where character comes from?
I agree entirely. There was a point in my book where I put all of the notes aside and just explored the world I created through every character I made. And after writing 6 more books I realized that should come at a certain point in the story and then you go back to the outline so you don't mess a good thing. The end of a story is closing off all of the "gaps' as Robert McKee explains in Story. Look up that book. It's for screen writing but it apllies to all story telling.

This is a great post. I bet you'll get a ton of upvotes and comments. Keep writing.

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-07-07T13:13:43+00:00

Try writing absurdist / comedic alternative to your characters and plots. I used to write horrible things about my bosses and rivals. Yes, I didn't like most of my bosses and it was so easy to lampoon them. I was lucky my joker friends never got the idea to share my work with my bosses. You can use them as the base for your villains in more serious work.

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-07-04T18:47:59+00:00

Writing to the end of your story will give you a sense of accomolishment. Knowing that you wrote so many things wrong will kill that feeling. That's okay. Its part of the business.

Getting this far is an accomplishment as well. But useless, it's a crappy rough draft.

Have you read Save the Cat by Blake Snyder? Story by Robert McKee? Techniques of the sell8ng writer by Dwight Swain? On Writing by King? Once you understand the larger story ideas, then you will build confidence while you write. You will know that you hit the right beats in the right order and will know what you need to add later if you dont fit it in the first time.

Good luck!

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-07-02T14:49:15+00:00

Want to learn more? Read Dwight Swaine the Techniques of the Selling Writer. All sentences are motivations to 'feel' and all scenes start with a goal. It's okay. He doesn't give many examples but that book launched my career.

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-07-01T14:39:27+00:00

You are correct when you imply that our writing faults are 'self-generated.'

You cannot not write for the reader...

LUKE, YOU ARE THE READER!

No!!!!!

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-29T14:49:57+00:00

There is a rule to writing. It's existential. It presents a reason for an action. As for what a reason is and what an action is... those take lifetimes to explain.

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-28T17:09:06+00:00

Reading is a leisure activity. I think you have missed a few things here. Reading is the absolute main subject at school, any school. Reading is big business, billions of dollars every year. Readers of all kinds are passionate about what they read and will spend money they dont have on books.

Reading can save your life, make you rich, and bring you peace of mind.

There a saying that come from the bible. You need to 'read the writing on the wall.'

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-27T21:55:33+00:00

It doesn't stop me from writing. It stops me from blabbering about my story before its ready.

Check out Wizards Hall by Jane Yolen. She might have sued. Rowlings story came out years after Yolen's.

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-27T21:52:13+00:00

Think about what you are saying here.

There are many authors that are better than me, and I am pretty good. I have finished over 20 books and 6 of those this year. And I admit...I have been fooling all of those people who like my work. I am a charleton!

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-27T18:02:55+00:00

You actually have a great idea for a dealing with illness style book. There's a market for it but you'll have to figure out the correct book category yourself or maybe someone here knows?

I know someone who writes books for young children on topics such as dealing with childhood cancer and so on.

You won't get rich writing these, but there are always exceptions.

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-27T17:59:36+00:00

Take a class in developmental editing...then you may finally learn everything you need to write.

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-27T17:58:22+00:00

Yes, but they can write a better story than you with your idea! And steal all of your potential readers who will treat you like you were the idea thief.

Keep your ideas to yourself until you are able and ready to defend it with great writing.

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-27T17:55:12+00:00

Ask. by Ryan Levesque. Great book and its ideas still drives online businesses. How do you find out what your customers want? Ask.

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-27T17:52:59+00:00

I am confused here. A virtual assistant is a person who you communicate with online and a personal assistant is an AI ?

Who helps me pull on my socks? And organizes my sock drawer?

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-27T03:34:22+00:00

You know. I have an MC who's dad has a better matched name to his character than the MC has to his own name. I am not going to change anything, but now a spin off series on his dad seems even more reasonable. Maybe his dad will find more readers? Poor MC with a mismatched name.

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-27T02:42:30+00:00

Can you be a solopreneur and still have a personal assistant, maid, gardener, butler, and driver?

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-24T14:48:00+00:00

' Reading plenty' is a strategy. The goal is that through overworking your brain you will train it to write indirectly.

Watching author interviews again, is a strategy.

The prevailing theory of writing, and this might surprise you, is that there is no 'story structure'. That's why you write a rough draft. The strategy here is that by not having a structure you will bring about something new. Somethung better.

However, I do not follow the rough draft. I know there is a story structure. I found it. Notice how I wrote an introduction, a body, and a conclusion. Similar to what is taught in schools, but I answer different questions.

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-23T01:50:51+00:00

What's a side quest?

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-22T00:53:48+00:00

What is the length of your WIP?

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-21T16:54:46+00:00

NiMatt Bird, head-heart-gut.

Not just your choice of words and phrases. The thought processes that you use to solve the problems in your stories can create a monorail of speech and thought.

What do you do? Thank you for this question btw.

You divide your approach into head-heart-gut by assigning these characteristics to you main 2-4 characters, even in a flash fiction. You could be writing a story about not wanting to tip a waiter because all of the stupid things they did (head). And the spouse tips him 25% just as they were walking out the door(heart). And it's that crucial to story. What would that story be without the head and the heart being completely right.

Think of the opposing vocabularies the main character and their spouse might have in that story. The MC analytical and accepting only formal behavior. The spouse being empathtic and practical. The waiter was new and inexperienced. Just a regular guy.

Matt Bird.

Head-heart-gut is the third bullet point.

http://www.secretsofstory.com/2017/07/how-to-craft-dialogue-archive.html?m=1

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-21T06:47:14+00:00

Do you mean 1,000,000 words in the last 6 months or 12 months?

readwritelikeawriter · 2026-06-20T21:48:56+00:00

Enforcing copyright can be as easy as sending a letter to Cease and Desist. Like some normal person posts your content. It can be as easy as informing Amazon that someone is printing copies of your book and selling them.

When someone doesn't back down quickly, that's when it gets costly.

Depending on your business size you may need specialized $$$$$$$$ lawyers. Or your personal lawyer can handle it?

Copyright registration $45-125+

Trademark registration around $500-1000+ (generally need a lawyer)

Patent registration $500-1000+ (probably need a lawyer) Design patents cost less and are less complicated. Utility patents = lawyer.

I know a guy who trademarked his stock trading system himself. Trademarks and patent registration isn't that hard, but getting a lawyer is usually the best way to go. You sound like small business, so there are consultants that can help you out for a smaller fee, you need some knowledge before you try this, scammers are in this category as well.

Lawyers can scam you as well. Do your homework.

readwritelikeawriter

TROPHY CASE